Line N · Non-EU nationals · Stop N3
British in Madrid: which line you are on since Brexit
Since the United Kingdom left the EU, British citizens are non-EU nationals in Spain. Two groups now travel different routes: people who were already resident before the transition period ended, covered by the Withdrawal Agreement, and people moving to Madrid now.
Residents covered by the Withdrawal Agreement
If you lived in Spain before the transition period ended, your residence is protected by the Withdrawal Agreement, and the document that shows it is a TIE whose text cites the agreement. Some people still keep the old green EU certificate from before Brexit; the TIE is the card that border staff and employers now expect to see.
Your NIE stays exactly the same. Only the document that carries it changes.
Moving to Madrid now
Newcomers with a British passport follow the general non-EU route: a visa or authorisation that matches the reason for the move, whether a job, studies or family, then the TIE with fingerprints once in Madrid.
The golden visa is gone: Spain abolished it in 2025, and a property purchase now buys a home, not a residence permit. Employees, students, founders and family members each have routes of their own, with conditions of their own.
Where our help fits
- Working out which group you belong to, from your dates and documents
- Preparing the TIE application your case calls for, and the 790-012 fee slip
- Booking the toma de huellas, and later the collection
- A NIE on its own, if you are not moving but need the number for a purchase or a company
Platform
The desk for this stop
From the official sources. Your cita previa confirmation always names the office: if it differs, trust the confirmation.
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TIE cards · Poblados
Sección de Documentación de Extranjeros (SDEx), Jefatura Superior de Policía de Madrid
- Address
- Avda. de los Poblados s/n, 28047 Madrid
- Desk hours
- 9:00–14:30 and 15:00–19:00 (except information and the mobile unit)
Handles
- Issue, duplicates and handover of TIE cards
- mobile TIE unit
Information point
Questions about British passports
I only have the old green certificate. What now?
Residents covered by the Withdrawal Agreement hold a TIE that names the agreement, and that card is what employers and border staff expect. If the old certificate is all you have, exchanging it for a TIE is your next stop.
Is my pre-Brexit NIE still mine?
Yes. The number does not change with your status; it simply moves onto your TIE.
Can a British director of a Spanish company get just the number?
Yes. If you are not moving, you can request the NIE on its own as a non-resident, in Madrid or at a Spanish consulate.
Plan your route
Get this stop prepared
Tell us your situation and dates for “British passports”. We reply by email with your route and what we can take on.
- Tell us where you stand
- We map your route
- Paperwork prepared
Prefer email? desk@nie-madrid.com